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Public Health Scotland do not hold information to the level of detail required in order to confirm numbers of hernia and rectopexy procedures that involve the use of surgical mesh.

The Scottish Government has liaised with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Board, and the analytical data captured by the management information tool records that staff are a health or social care worker, not their work location or clinical status. The Member will be aware that employees of the health board can access a dedicated email address, if they have not received a second dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine.

At a national level, 373,715 health and social care workers have received their first dose and 357,486 are fully vaccinated. This includes the 94% of specified frontline health workers, who have had their first dose and 89% that have received their second too. The COVID-19 Daily Dashboard | Tableau Public provides the latest figures.

The information requested is not centrally held by Scottish Government, as aspergillus and Cryptococcus are not part of the mandatory surveillance policy. As stated in the National IPC Manual, Appendix 13 alert organism surveillance should be guided by local Board intelligence.

The information requested is not centrally held by Scottish Government, relating to Covid 19 infection at specific hospital sites. Publicly available data by Health Board is available via: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/phs.covid.19/viz/COVID-19DailyDashboard_15960160643010/Overview

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. Information relating to meetings between NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Infection Prevention and Control Team and the Health Protection Team, is held by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The Scottish Government are only notified of incidents when they are reported by the NHS National Services Scotland, Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection Service, by means of the Outbreak Reporting System .

The UK Government has proposed creating a separate Warm Home Discount scheme for Scotland that does not take account of current levels of need or the definition of fuel poverty as decided by the Scottish Parliament. We have urged the UK Government to reconsider their proposals on this basis and review their use of levy funding more generally. These proposals will increase charges on everyone's energy bills but this does not reflect every household's ability to pay.

Given that UK Ministers believe that a reformed scheme is needed in England and Wales, Scottish Ministers have proposed a simpler, fairer and more flexible fuel poverty scheme for Scotland. As set out in our draft Heat in Buildings Strategy, we believe that combining the current Energy Company Obligation and Warm Home Discount schemes would provide the flexibility needed to target the different needs of Scottish communities and reflect the will of the Parliament.

The Scotland Act (2016) does not provide powers for Scottish Ministers to simply change these levy funded schemes. In all circumstances the approval of the Secretary of State would be required for any changes to be implemented. Scottish Ministers cannot meaningfully consult about the design of a proposed Scottish scheme or engage with the Parliament on this basis.

This is a matter for local authorities. The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.

On 15 June 2021, the Advisory Sub-group for Education and Children’s Issues provided advice on whether groups of parents should be permitted to attend ELC settings for outdoor events such as nursery graduations. Their advice was that groups of parents and carers should not attend end-of-year events in Early Learning and Childcare settings, whether indoors or outdoors. This was a carefully considered decision that weighed up all of the risks involved to safeguard public health.

In relation to the Fan Zone Scottish Ministers have undertaken significant consultation with public health officials and clinicians who have provided advice throughout development of Glasgow City Council’s proposal. The Fan Zone provides an outdoor, highly regulated space for fans to watch the tournament. Although there will be up to 3,000 people in attendance per session, this is in a large, outdoor space with normal capacity for up to 80,000 people. Necessary physical distancing and hygiene measures are in place. In addition, there is comprehensive stewarding, cleaning and contact tracing provisions in place and everyone attending are encouraged to take a lateral flow test prior to the event. Rapid lateral flow test kits are being mailed to all visitors to the Glasgow Fan Zone. This move is part of a series of measures to help reduce the risk of transmission before and after the event.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-01396 on 12 July 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

The Scottish Government continue to meet and work collaboratively with the recognised representative body for community pharmacy contractors in Scotland, Community Pharmacy Scotland.

Discussions have included the pharmacy networks response to the COVID-19 pandemic, additional support provided to the community pharmacy teams in providing a safe working environment and access to mental health and wellbeing support. The delivery of current and development of future pharmaceutical care service to support the NHS recovery from the pandemic and the impact of the pandemic to the financial sustainability of pharmacy network and the Scottish Drug Tariff.

Officials have also met with NHS Board Directors of Pharmacy to discuss the provision of pharmaceutical care services.